Thread: When a razor is in top shape sharp wise

How many passes to get a baby but smooth with no irradiation?

Your face or mine? That is a serious answer that changes with time, humidity, diet, shave product, and skill.

The old salts say that a three pass shave will do a bang-up job. BBS to say it.

Not stated is the amount of strokes used for different areas of the face and neck during one lathering/ pass.

So, If you are getting a good shave, the latherings and passes are suited to your face and beard type. If not try a wetter lather, more detail strokes during the pass and see what improvements come about. Six months of work should give you repeatable BBS shaves if your razor and products are in good shave ready condition.
~Richard

There is n magic number, it really depends on your experience level and the razor. And BBS really dnt what you should be trying to get when starting, go slow and learn the skills. I can get my shave n 2 passes no problem, but you maybe 10. After a 100 shaves or so with a razor whose edge is ready you will get the shave your wanting. Tc

As others have said, this is different for everyone.

I never really chase a BBS shave anyway. For me comfort is the real reason I moved to straights. I very rarely do more than two passes. My hair grows quickly and a BBS soon disappears anyway. For me it's all about enjoying the experience.

Everyone will have their own story here and in time so will you.

Just take your time and enjoy the shave.

BBS is overrated in my opinion. If you manage to get that with no irritation, you are good to go. If all you get that day is a DFS (damn fine shave), you are still good to go! Go outdoors and enjoy the day in all its wonders and glory.


Mike

I can get very close with a two pass + some touch up. I never really go for a true BBS anymore

With my best edges I get a perfect BBS in 1 multi directional pass and yet another for touch ups. If I am in a hurry I don't bother with touch ups and am guaranteed a superb shave just a few stubble short of BBS. As long as I am not in a hurry I always shoot for BBS + no irritation. There is no point in obtaining a BBS in spite of your face/neck. You can always shave tomorrow and can replace everything except your face.

If you just shave your face/neck and everyday try to improve sooner than later you will be getting a BBS shave with no irritation more often than not but it seems if you chase it you don't improve as quickly because you are irritating your face and neck and a BBS is really impossible with scrapes, scars, and bumps right?

A few weeks after I started I went for a BBS shave, it took 6 passes. To say my face was irritated would be an understatement.
About a year later, BBS happened on its own after 3 passes.
I'm a few years in now and occasionally I get bbs with only 2 passes.
Don't chase the BBS and it will come to you in time.

I can get a passable shave in one multidirectional pass, I can get a dam fine shave in two passes and in two passes with a little touch up I can get BBS or BBS with irritation on my neck, it is a very very fine line between BBS and irritation for me. I rarely attempt BBS, because very few can tell the difference between a DFS and BBS, and that very few is two, my wife and I. No one else gets to stroke my face and inspect my shave.
If we go back to the early straight razor shaves, there were some shaves that I only got as close as a multi blade, there were a few shaves where I got as much irritation as I got with multi blades, there were some that were amazing that left me touching my face a lot. Gradually they all became much much closer than the multi blades, they all are much more comfortable than the multis.

I always wear a lead vest to prevent irradiation. Sorry, I could not help myself!